Scholar since
2020

Scholarship received
Diversity Advancement Scholarship

Education

Cornell University (B.Arch)

Hometown
Miami, FL

Omar Leon is a first-generation student who will be attending Cornell University to pursue his 5-year Bachelors of Architecture degree. He was born in Bogota, Colombia and moved to Miami at the age of seven. During his high school career, he was the President of the National Honor Society, Vice President of the Architecture Club, and active member of the Spanish and French Honor Societies. Omar was the winner of the Miami Beach Parklet design and construction competition. He also received gold and silver Scholastic Awards for writing, painting, and architecture. Omar was hand-selected to receive a full scholarship to Parsons New School of Design Pre-College to study fashion construction.

Omar also volunteered as a camp counselor in his neighborhood. His passion for helping the community led him to initiate a service project collecting art supplies for 40 underprivileged children in a shelter in his hometown in Colombia where he held art classes for two consecutive summers. He continued his commitment to the shelter and used his love for art and design to beautify the entrance with a mural.

Omar hopes to use architecture as a medium for aiding underrepresented communities.

Omar’s scholarship is funded by the AIA Custom Residential Architects Network, an AIA Knowledge Community.